Whitten three-run homer wins it for Maine

SANFORD — Fran Whitten hit his fourth home run of the season — a three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth inning — to give the University of Maine a 5-2 baseball victory over Northeastern University at Goodall Park Tuesday afternoon.

The victory was the eighth straight for the Black Bears, now 23-21 overall this season.

Maine took a 1-0 lead in the third on Joey Martin’s RBI single to center.

The visiting Huskies tied it in the fifth as Connor Lyons walked, stole second, went to third on a groundout, and then scored on an error. Northeastern made it 2-1 in the sixth as Aaron Barbosa hit a bunt single, stole second and third, and scored on a Matt Miller sacrifice fly.

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Maine tied the game in the eighth, courtesy of a Michael Fransoso infield single, an error and Martin’s second RBI single of the day.

Before Whitten came to bat in the ninth, Ian Leisenheimer drew a walk and Troy Black was hit by a pitch.

Fransoso had two singles for the Black Bears. Jonathan Balentina notched the win with one inning of no-hit, scoreless relief in which he had two strikeouts and no walks. Kevin Scanlan started and went five innings, yielding two runs, two hits, and three walks while getting four strikeouts.